The present invention is concerned with the novel use of bezafibrate for the treatment of diabetes.
Bezafibrate, i.e. 2-[4-[2-(4-chlorobenzamido)ethyl]-phenoxy]-2-methylpropionic acid, is an agent known from Federal Republic of Germany Patent Specification No. 21 49 070 which is widely used for the treatment of hyperlipidaemias (hypertriglyceridae-caias and hypercholesterolaemias). Since hyperlipoproteinaemias are an especially frequently occurring accompanying metabolic disturbance in the case of diabetes mellitus and can lead to premature arteriosclerosis, in a series of studies a simultaneous treatment of hyperlipidaemic diabetics with sulphonylureas or insulin and bezafibrate has already been investigated. The decrease of the serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentration which occurs in comparison with a sole treatment with sulphonylureas or insulin thereby also leads to a significant decrease of the fasting blood sugar values. After discontinuation of the bezafibrate, all three parameters again increase. It is assumed that the strong triglyceride lowering with bezafibrate, just as in the case of appropriate diet, brings about the parallel retrogression of the glucose. An improvement of the glucose utilisation by bezafibrate is conjectured (cf. Bruneder et al., Dtsch. med. Wschr., 106, 1653-1656/1981).